Ancient History of Orkney, Caithness, & the North (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1866 Excerpt: ... of Brechum or Breckness, In Stromness, lived Rigardus. Both John Vdangur and Rigardus were poor. They were cousins, by the father, to Olafus of Gremsay, who was the son of Kolfus. Grimhel dwelt in Gletness. Since there occurs, in the course of this history, frequent mention of ail these, the author thought proper to insert their names in this place, by which means the reader may find out the islands and estates on which they lived, without any map, as well as if he had a map or chart before him, Kolus, the son of Kalius, who was married to a sister of St. Maguus's, dwelt on his father's estate at Agdse, a province in Norway: nor had he any thoughts of removing to his estate in Orkney. He had a sou named Kalius, who was well accomplisht in all the endowments both of body and mind, from his very infancy. His stature was of an ordinary si2e, his limbs were well proportioned, his hair was of the colour of amethyst, and he had a capacity, susceptible of any art; of which arts he understood no less than nine--such arts as were in vogue then, as he comprehends them in a poem which is still extant--such as chess, Runic letters, reading of books, music, poetry, archery, rowing with oars, working in all sorts of metal, and sketching on s/iow. That he understood these arts will appear from the common practice of the Norwegians and Icelanders, of whom many, by dint of application understand several handicrafts to great purpose--such as working in wood, iron, brass, and silver. King Sigurdus created Kalius an earle at Tunsberg and made him a grant of the half of Orkney to be holden of the Crown of Norway, and at the same time called him Rounald, after Rounald the son of Brasius, whom the King's mother, Gunnildis, reckoned the handsomest of all the earies of Orkney that...